Sprawl and fear may spell doom for Florida panther

[Guest guest]

Dec. 2, 2006, 9:06PM

Sprawl and fear may spell doom for Florida panther

Extinction is more likely as as habitat shrinks and residents seek to end

protections

 

By BRIAN SKOLOFF

Associated Press

IN PERIL

.. Larry Richardson of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it is

becoming more difficult to find panther tracks such as these as overhunting

and habitat loss bunch the last 100 of the cats into South Florida.

• Squeezed: Most roam on about 2.5 million acres in the Florida Panther

National Wildlife Refuge, Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National

Park and surrounding state preserves.

 

FLORIDA PANTHER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, FLA. — Biologist Larry Richardson

waxes philosophical about the Florida panther, equating its protection to

the overall need to maintain nature in one of the fastest growing states in

the nation.

 

Among the most endangered species on the planet, the Florida panther soon

could be a novelty seen only in captivity. The big cats once roamed by the

thousands throughout the Southeast, but as development encroaches on their

only remaining habitat in southwest Florida, extinction may be certain. It's

the last of the puma population east of the Mississippi River.

 

Scientists are now seeing more human-panther encounters and livestock kills

because of urban sprawl.

 

Richardson, who works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and others are

convinced their years of work may be in vain as development eats up more

habitat.

 

" If we build out even half the potential of what the state says we can, " he

said, " forget about the panthers.

 

" But this is also where our ground water recharges. This is where our clean

air is made. " It's not just about panthers. "

As with all dilemmas that pit man against nature, there is an alternate

reality, a fear that by protecting the panthers, people are put at risk.

 

" I personally want humans to stay on top of the food chain, " said Barbara

Jean Powell, of the Everglades Coordinating Council, an umbrella group of

sportsmen associations that supports private property rights.

 

Wildlife officials recently held a town hall meeting in Collier County near

Naples, prime panther country and a development gold mine, to educate people

about living among predators. There has never been a documented attack on a

human in Florida.

 

Schoolteacher Theresa Ryan had a close encounter with a big cat.

She had just finished mowing her boyfriend's yard in late October, sat down

at a picnic table and was removing her shoes when she heard breathing over

her shoulder.

" I turned around and there was a panther 15 feet away. We were face to

face, " Ryan said.

She flailed her arms and screamed to scare the cat, as one is supposed to do

when confronted by a panther.

" It just sauntered away. No hurry. It was never afraid, " Ryan said.

 

" We don't need them here. This animal does not need to be protected

anymore. "

[Guest guest]

there has to be a end to the over : " developement "

destruction etc... there is a realestate expo thaT

SHOULD SEE a protest and lituature flood...

please help...

I'm just one person... one person with courage is a

majority

but i'm running low on my funds also and i couldn't

even pay for the bus to go to this... PLEASE REPPEAL

THE TRUMPS OF THE WORLD...

WE AND OUR FOOTED FRIENDS NEED TO SURVIVE..

Promote Population control of " humans " and make space

for the other species...

thankz

p.j.

--- Annelisa Johnson <icer wrote:

 

>

> Dec. 2, 2006, 9:06PM

> Sprawl and fear may spell doom for Florida panther

> Extinction is more likely as as habitat shrinks and

> residents seek to end

> protections

>

> By BRIAN SKOLOFF

> Associated Press

> IN PERIL

> . Larry Richardson of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

> Service says it is

> becoming more difficult to find panther tracks such

> as these as overhunting

> and habitat loss bunch the last 100 of the cats into

> South Florida.

> • Squeezed: Most roam on about 2.5 million acres in

> the Florida Panther

> National Wildlife Refuge, Big Cypress National

> Preserve, Everglades National

> Park and surrounding state preserves.

>

> FLORIDA PANTHER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, FLA. —

> Biologist Larry Richardson

> waxes philosophical about the Florida panther,

> equating its protection to

> the overall need to maintain nature in one of the

> fastest growing states in

> the nation.

>

> Among the most endangered species on the planet, the

> Florida panther soon

> could be a novelty seen only in captivity. The big

> cats once roamed by the

> thousands throughout the Southeast, but as

> development encroaches on their

> only remaining habitat in southwest Florida,

> extinction may be certain. It's

> the last of the puma population east of the

> Mississippi River.

>

> Scientists are now seeing more human-panther

> encounters and livestock kills

> because of urban sprawl.

>

> Richardson, who works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

> Service, and others are

> convinced their years of work may be in vain as

> development eats up more

> habitat.

>

> " If we build out even half the potential of what the

> state says we can, " he

> said, " forget about the panthers.

>

> " But this is also where our ground water recharges.

> This is where our clean

> air is made. " It's not just about panthers. "

> As with all dilemmas that pit man against nature,

> there is an alternate

> reality, a fear that by protecting the panthers,

> people are put at risk.

>

> " I personally want humans to stay on top of the food

> chain, " said Barbara

> Jean Powell, of the Everglades Coordinating Council,

> an umbrella group of

> sportsmen associations that supports private

> property rights.

>

> Wildlife officials recently held a town hall meeting

> in Collier County near

> Naples, prime panther country and a development gold

> mine, to educate people

> about living among predators. There has never been a

> documented attack on a

> human in Florida.

>

> Schoolteacher Theresa Ryan had a close encounter

> with a big cat.

> She had just finished mowing her boyfriend's yard in

> late October, sat down

> at a picnic table and was removing her shoes when

> she heard breathing over

> her shoulder.

> " I turned around and there was a panther 15 feet

> away. We were face to

> face, " Ryan said.

> She flailed her arms and screamed to scare the cat,

> as one is supposed to do

> when confronted by a panther.

> " It just sauntered away. No hurry. It was never

> afraid, " Ryan said.

>

> " We don't need them here. This animal does not need

> to be protected

> anymore. "

>

>

>

>

>